Manager, Capability Development

About your role: 

This role serves as the institutional knowledge authority for the Footwear & Equipment Product Development organization, responsible for ensuring that critical technical know‑how, SOPs, and best practices are systematically captured, maintained, and continuously evolved. You and your team will be the recognized reference point the team turns to for process clarity, technical standards, and organizational learning, reducing dependency on individual expertise and ensuring continuity across talent transitions, organizational change, and brand growth. 

Beyond preservation, you will actively strengthen PD capability by driving the development of technical skills and future talent, embedding best practices, and supporting the seamless integration of new team members, enabling the organization to maintain high performance and drive continuous improvement across all product categories. 

Your responsibilities will include (but not limited): 

• Knowledge Preservation & Management 

• Serve as the organization's institutional knowledge authority, the definitive reference point for PD process standards, technical documentation, and best practices.  

• Own the mapping, documentation, and lifecycle management of SOPs and internal PD processes, ensuring they remain current, accessible, and reflective of best-in-class practices.  

• Drive standardization of ways of working across brands and regions, proactively identifying gaps and inconsistencies.  

• Partner with functional experts to capture knowledge into structured, repeatable, and scalable processes.  

• Ensure knowledge systems are designed for continuity, reducing organizational risk during talent transitions, team changes, or market shifts. 

• Capability Development 

• Serve as a subject-matter authority to PD, Sourcing, and Platform teams (PxM, PSE) on capability standards, technical training needs, and knowledge readiness.  

• Lead the development and deployment of technical skill frameworks for PD teams, with emphasis on footwear technology.  

• Coordinate and deliver targeted training and development initiatives, ensuring alignment with the capability roadmap set by the organization.  

• Support onboarding and upskilling of new and existing team members, ensuring consistent baseline competency across the function.  

• Promote consistent adoption of best practices, tools, and methods.  

• Embed new ways of working to build a future‑ready organization, including effective adoption of AI and digital capabilities. 

• Best Practices Deployment 

• Support to implement enterprise frameworks into practical, functional‑relevant guidance to PD teams; 

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives linked to capability maturity; 

• Establish and maintain standardized best‑practice documentation, toolkits, and playbooks to ensure consistency and scalability across PD teams; 

What we will be looking for in you: 

• Strong understanding of Product Development processes and manufacturing fundamentals 

• Experience with process documentation, SOP development, or knowledge systems 

• Ability to work across functions and regions with a structured, detail‑oriented mindset 

• Passion for learning, teaching, and building scalable capability 

• Knowledge of the product category within the scope of this role with proven experience, good understanding of manufacturing processes, materials, and construction methods; 

• You will be coaching and developing your team, providing timely constructive feedback enabling them to excel and realize their potential. 

• Proven leadership experience in managing multi-cultural teams and ability to influence stakeholders on a global level to advance business goals. 

• Product Development or Technical expertise will be an advantage. 

• Drive and passion to make a difference, presenting a growth mindset that role models positivity and curiosity to your team and peers. 

• Ability to lead, facilitate and champion change. 

• Good business acumen and understanding of the competitive global business environment, as well as an awareness of economic, social and political trends that impact the organization’s global strategy. 

Key Attributes: 

• Embodies the highest level of personal and professional integrity and ethics. 

• Passion for product and a consumer-first mindset; 

• Able to manage complex and conflicting interpersonal interactions with others, solve problems, make decisions, operate independently and with discretion, and work effectively under pressure.  

• Possesses excellent organizational and analytical skills and prioritize and can successfully execute multiple tasks/projects. 

• Able to collaborate with peers and superiors while building relationships with individuals and organizations across the globe.  

• Maintains a global perspective and is culturally sensitive and aware.  

• Demonstrates a creative, energetic, and motivated spirit. 

Desirable Qualifications & Competencies: 

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or related field. MBA is a plus. 

• Minimum 8 years of experience in product development, process engineering, or manufacturing, with at least 3 years in a supervisory or team lead role. 

• Experience working with overseas factories and multi-cultural factory management teams. 

• Proven experience in coaching and developing team members. 

• Proficient in Microsoft Office, PLM systems, and production planning tools. 

• Fluent in English (written and verbal); additional languages (Vietnamese, Mandarin) are a plus. 

• Willingness and ability to travel within the region.